A need exists for an improved system and method for recovering poultry sub-tenders or other poultry or meat trim products which still remain on the carcass shells at the end of a carcass processing line.
Some prior art systems used heretofore for recovering breast sub-tenders from chicken carcass shells have been comprised of an air amplifier venturi apparatus; a suction hose which can be extended from the venturi apparatus to the chicken carcass shells at the end of a cone processing line; and a rotary knife secured on the distal end of the suction hose for use in detaching the breast sub-tenders from the chicken carcass shells.
Unfortunately, these prior art air amplifier venturi systems have had various significant shortcomings and disadvantages. For example, when the sub-tender product traveling through the product suction hose reaches the venturi apparatus, the product is contacted by and mixes with the compressed (pressurized) motive air stream which must be delivered through the venturi device in order to produce a vacuum suction pressure. This compressed (pressurized) air, which is typically supplied by the plant air system, will often contain oil or other contaminates, thus requiring the installation of costly filtration and/or other systems to remove such contaminants. Also, because of the other demands for compressed air which are typically placed on the plant air system, the plant air system often will not have sufficient remaining capacity to also operate an air amplified venturi recovery system.